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NEWS: Media Blasters Launches Free Alteil Web Card Game




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KabaKabaFruit



Joined: 20 Sep 2007
Posts: 1869
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:44 am Reply with quote
I've got my account ready. Smile

Anyone here want to duel me, just look me up by the same user name on the site. Wink
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Ktimene's Lover



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 2242
Location: Glendale, AZ (Proudly living in the desert)
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:28 pm Reply with quote
Another monster trading card game. Talk about originality. The word sounds like the company Alltel.
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NezuChiza



Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 32
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:44 pm Reply with quote
Yeah! They should have been more original, and made a new Shootan Game!

Oh, almost forgot. My duel name is the same as it is here. Be gentle, I chose Lawtia not knowing it's the weakest of the starters Razz


Last edited by NezuChiza on Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
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LordPrometheus





PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:46 pm Reply with quote
I've also signed up for this, but haven't had a chance to login yet. My username is Prometheus there, if anyone wants to look me up for a duel this weekend.
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Teriyaki Terrier



Joined: 26 Mar 2008
Posts: 5689
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:38 pm Reply with quote
Wow, after what seemed months of looking at that advertisement, there is finally now a chance for fans to play the game virtually.

Although I myself am not really interested, I am glad fans are able to get some enjoyment out of this.
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JCB



Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 11
Location: Hopewell, VA
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:10 pm Reply with quote
I looked into this when Media Blasters was advertising it a while back on their website. It could be an interesting game, but am I the only one bothered by the fact that they go out of their way to advertise how this game is FREE?

I only ask this because Alteil seems to be governed by the same philosophy as Maple Story: charge them nothing to sign up, but make them pay cash for every single step of progress. In Maple Story new accessories for your character cost money, real money. (Which it in and of itself is absurd for an MMORPG.) In Alteil, the only thing you get for free is your starter deck. Any additional cards must be purchased, and even then your acquisitions will still be limited by random card packs like in the real world.

The entire thing seems like a waste since those with disposable income will obviously be better equipped to wipe the floor with those poor suckers who continue to play with starter decks. It reminds me of the controversy over the buying of new guns through micro-transactions in Battlefield: Bad Company.

Sorry if that was a rant. It's just that I love card games like this but I am always turned off by the necessary monetary commitment. That's why I've been so pleased by Duel Monsters/YuGiOh since it made the move to handhelds. I think I would be more likely to play Alteil if it required a monthly fee, but new cards could be gained by trading points that are awarded for winning duels. That way your progress is determined by playing the game, not your bank account.
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population_tire



Joined: 31 May 2007
Posts: 571
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:25 pm Reply with quote
This is from the FAQ

Quote:
7) Is Alteil really free to play?
Yes, Alteil has no monthly fee and your Starter card set is free. You also earn new cards for free by leveling up and by dueling in the main arenas. It can take some time to get new cards this way, so if you like you can visit the Shop and purchase booster packs to get them quicker. We will also offer pets, Avatars and similar items in the Shop. Remember, it doesn’t matter how you get your cards. Purchased cards and free cards can be played side by side, and we will never require you to purchase cards to participate in tournaments or other special events.
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BellosTheMighty



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 767
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:42 pm Reply with quote
JCB wrote:
I looked into this when Media Blasters was advertising it a while back on their website. It could be an interesting game, but am I the only one bothered by the fact that they go out of their way to advertise how this game is FREE?

I only ask this because Alteil seems to be governed by the same philosophy as Maple Story: charge them nothing to sign up, but make them pay cash for every single step of progress. In Maple Story new accessories for your character cost money, real money. (Which it in and of itself is absurd for an MMORPG.) In Alteil, the only thing you get for free is your starter deck. Any additional cards must be purchased, and even then your acquisitions will still be limited by random card packs like in the real world.

The entire thing seems like a waste since those with disposable income will obviously be better equipped to wipe the floor with those poor suckers who continue to play with starter decks. It reminds me of the controversy over the buying of new guns through micro-transactions in Battlefield: Bad Company.


Yeah, lot of real paper CCGs have that problem too. YuGiOh and old school Magic are the worst I can think of, but VS. System got pretty crazy too, especially once the degenerate combos took over. WoW TCG looked to be heading that way out of the gate too, so I decided to spend my money elsewhere.

I'll give this a shot, though. You can apparently buy cards with points won in games, so you can always grind up decent cards rather than buying them with actual cash. I just finished a 100% souls run in Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, so I'm reminded that I can handle some grinding.

My recommendation to you is: Try it out, if you get frustrated or bored, walk away. For some reason, people drastically underestimate the value of walking away and finding a new hobby- they'd rather jump atop their favorite forum and start wailing when it proves too much for them...
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KabaKabaFruit



Joined: 20 Sep 2007
Posts: 1869
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:19 pm Reply with quote
Just tried out a few duels today. Game is pretty decent but you really gotta pay attention to the learning curve and the tutorial to get the full gist of it. Not to mention reading the cards carefully also helps. Wink
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Josh7289



Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Posts: 1252
PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:40 pm Reply with quote
population_tire wrote:
This is from the FAQ

Quote:
7) Is Alteil really free to play?
Yes, Alteil has no monthly fee and your Starter card set is free. You also earn new cards for free by leveling up and by dueling in the main arenas. It can take some time to get new cards this way, so if you like you can visit the Shop and purchase booster packs to get them quicker. We will also offer pets, Avatars and similar items in the Shop. Remember, it doesn’t matter how you get your cards. Purchased cards and free cards can be played side by side, and we will never require you to purchase cards to participate in tournaments or other special events.

But that's still part of the problem JCB talked about. Even if you can get new cards for free by actually dueling, it's probably going to take so much time and effort that the people that pay real money for cards will still be leagues ahead of those that try to work their way up without using real money.
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BellosTheMighty



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 767
PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:16 pm Reply with quote
Josh7289 wrote:
population_tire wrote:
This is from the FAQ

Quote:
7) Is Alteil really free to play?
Yes, Alteil has no monthly fee and your Starter card set is free. You also earn new cards for free by leveling up and by dueling in the main arenas. It can take some time to get new cards this way, so if you like you can visit the Shop and purchase booster packs to get them quicker. We will also offer pets, Avatars and similar items in the Shop. Remember, it doesn’t matter how you get your cards. Purchased cards and free cards can be played side by side, and we will never require you to purchase cards to participate in tournaments or other special events.

But that's still part of the problem JCB talked about. Even if you can get new cards for free by actually dueling, it's probably going to take so much time and effort that the people that pay real money for cards will still be leagues ahead of those that try to work their way up without using real money.


Well, depending on how much time there is between expansions, it might be irrelevant. According to information I've read, you get a new card every level up to 10, then cards at 15, 20, and every 10 levels thereafter. That doesn't sound so hot, but at level 10 and above the rates for 4 and 5 star cards skyrockets. (Card rarity is on a 5 star rating system), and a five star card that you can't use can be exchanged for two five-card packs. Actually, since you have a higher chance of getting a 5 star you need from leveling, the grinders might even have an advantage over the buyers in the long run. I mean, hell, it doesn't even take that much effort to level- it's always 100 EXP for a level, and you get I think 10 or so for winning a game- I think more if you take down a guy who's higher level than you, but I haven't been checking. I'm at level 6 right now, and I've been dividing my time between two other games and various other life-related things.

Besides that- I reiterate, if you don't like the way the metagame is turning out, you always have the final trump card- quit, and find a new game. Given that, why not try it out? Snot zactly tricky.
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